New York stages, on Broadway and off, seem more clogged than ever with seasonal fare, and making an impression in this sentiment-drenched field is becoming increasingly difficult. The musical “Elf,” back on Broadway for a two-month run after first materializing there in 2010, has an additional burden in that it is also competing against itself.

The show is based on the 2003 movie of the same name, which as the years go by feels more and more like a keeper for the ol’ holiday DVD collection, with a charmingly goofy performance by Will Ferrell as Buddy, the human who is raised by elves, and great supporting work from Zooey Deschanel as his love interest, Jovie, and especially James Caan as his father, Walter.

In the remounted Broadway show, which opened Sunday at the Al Hirschfeld Theater, Jordan Gelber, one of several new cast members, draws the thankless job of trying to make fans of the movie forget Mr. Ferrell. He and the director, Casey Nicholaw, never quite find a comfort zone for the character the way that Mr. Ferrell did. The Ferrell Buddy is a lovable, convincing fish out of water when Santa sends him to New York to find his father. The onstage Buddy (Sebastian Arcelus played the part in 2010) is sometimes naïve, sometimes perceptive and too often uncomfortably close to mentally disabled — an awkward mix that makes it difficult to buy into the whole “Elf” fantasy.

The love story within “Elf” also isn’t well served here, having been pared down considerably to make room for all the generic holiday songs. Leslie Kritzer’s Jovie has to warm up to Buddy — overweight, socially awkward, of dubious intelligence; what’s not to like? — in too much of a hurry.

But the show does have just enough nice supporting performances and successful comic moments to amuse easily amused kiddies and leave grown-up ticket buyers grumbling no more loudly than they would after any of the other holiday shows. Mark Jacoby, returning in the role of Walter, may not be Mr. Caan, but he’s a steady professional, and Beth Leavel, another returnee as Buddy’s stepmother, knows what to do with the many laugh lines her character is given in Thomas Meehan and Bob Martin’s book.

The resident celebrity is Wayne Knight — Newman from “Seinfeld” — who makes a respectable Santa, though he isn’t around much. (George Wendt of “Cheers” was the 2010 St. Nick.) A youngster named Mitchell Sink shows off a fine singing voice as Michael, Buddy’s stepbrother.

Although no new holiday standards are likely to emerge from this show, a couple of the musical numbers do have a respectable zing. (The music is by Matthew Sklar, the lyrics by Chad Beguelin.) The second act opens with a funny number called “Nobody Cares About Santa” featuring a bunch of grousing department-store Clauses who have gathered for a bite to eat in a Chinese restaurant.

And yes, for those keeping track, that makes two holiday-in-a-Chinese-restaurant scenes currently on Broadway, because a block over and a block up from “Elf” a musical version of the Jean Shepherd gem “A Christmas Story” is playing. “A Christmas Story” also has a live dog (two, actually), just like “Annie,” another Broadway show with a Christmas theme. There’s a message in those duplications perhaps. Holiday cheer is swell, but theatrically, at least, maybe it’s starting to be spread a bit thin?

Elf

Al Hirschfeld Theater

302 W. 45th St.

Midtown West

877-250-2929

CategoryBroadway, Comedy, Musical

CreditsBook by Thomas Meehan and Bob Martin, Music by Matthew Sklar and Chad Beguelin, Directed and Choreographed by Casey Nicholaw

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